Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-14
SBREWD WOMEN.
HISTORY OF TIE CUsTon. HOUSE II.
sPRCTRIssEs.
Won On Who Watch Members Of Their
Own fex to Keep Them from
Smuggling.

spectresses to examine the baggage OF
women who arrive without male escorts.
lime was when the seizure of dutiable
Goods concealed ON the person OF wo-
men by customs inspectors was not I'M
common. Ten years ago the presence
ofwomen smugglers was the rule and not
the exception among the passengersthat
came on the transatlantic steamships.
1t was on this account that the customs
department employed nine women, who
were known in the department as in
spectresses, but among the laity as
searchers." name that expressed
more clearly the limit OF their duties.
They were supposed to be women of
some detective ability, and their pres
ence at the landing of passengers often
led to strange revelations and not in
frequently to the capture Of valuable
articles that were on the list Of dutiable
imports. They went among the pas
seneers and reported to customs Off
GERS in charge of the landing the pres
ence of women whom they suspected,
and subsequently conducted the search
'of these women.
The custom of appointing these in
spectresses for this exclusive purpose
continued until very recently. The
ruling OF the Secretary OF the Treasury
that dutiable articles in the baggage OF
travellers on which the tariff did not
amount to more than 81 should be
passed free lessened the inducement
for petty smuggling. The decision OF
the Supreme Court in the Astor case
was. however, the most important in
doing away with smuggling by passen.
gers. BY this decision all personal
Effects that were possessed by the ira
weller during his stay abroad and that
seemed fitting to his station in life are
entered free Of duty within one
wear of the arrival of the traveller i'll
the United States.
Here was q way presented by which
could be done openly that in which be-
fore voluminous skirts and double-bot-
toned trunks had been used to effect
concealment.
Under this new order OF things the
women found an alarming falling off in
the results of their work. Last sum-
mer the department, in the hope OF in
creasing the efficiency of this branch
of the service, discharged four OF the
inspectresses and appointed new ones
in their places. On May 18th OF this
wear the Secretary OF the Treasury or
dered that twelve additional inspec-
tresses should disappointed at salary OF
50 day. This was in approval OF re-
quest made by Collector Magone, based
on n recommendation from Surveyor
Beattie, that the force OF women inspec-
tors should be increased to twenty-ohe,
aud that they should thereafter be as
signed to regular inspection duty on
all arriving steamships on which there
were women passengers.
No time was lost by the custom-house
authorities after the arrival of the Sec
reiary's order in arranging for the new
branch of the inspection service. In
order TO prevent additional expense
from the change, ten day-inspectors
were discharged to make way Tor the
corps of women.
An examination had occurred under
Tie ciyil-service rules on February
18th, when forty women had submit.
ted papers that they each hoped would
secure them a place as inspectress
should vacancy occur. From this
list the department at Washington APP
proved the nomination Of Mary Z. Oar
roph on June DIST, and in the next
three weeks tie following seven appll-
canis found favor in the eyes OF the Sur
yevor. the Collector, and the Secretary
of The Treasury. and were added to the
inspectress staff: Jennie Hamburger,
Florence NJ. Todd, Malvina 5. Wilson,
Laura Morgan, Belle Lawrence, kittit
l.. Lane. Cynthia NJ. Westover, and
on July Dist Mary L. Clark, making
nine appointed out OF the twelve.
An ong the appointments of last yeal
was that of Miss Mary L. Williams.
She was made an inspectress on June
9. 1856. She had formerly been a
tea her of telegraphy at Cooper Union,
and is n woman of good general educa'
| ton and considerable executive ability
| The newly organized corps of inspec
tresses was placed under her charge
| about July LIST, and the task of drilling
| the Young women i'll the work OF IN
| specting baggage was begun under the
| Efficient tutelage of Captain Michael
| II. Whalen, the superintendent OF the
barge Office. Two well-furnished rooms
| at the barge Office were devoted to the
women's use. Here they report every
| morning-half of the number at
| O'Clock and the Others at o'clock.
The inspectress in charge is notified
| of the arrival Of all passenger vessels
| from foreign ports, and she assigns the
inspectresses to duty in rotation. Al
| this time Of the year the rooms occu
pied by the inspectresses present
novel sight in the severely busines-likt
barge Office. The season for the return
| Of the European travellers has not yet
begun, and the inspectresses have
many idle moments. They are, how
ever, an industrious company OF young
women, and glance in their rooms IL
, The morning gives one the impression
that he is in the presence OF q sewing
society.
Collector Magone is much pleased
with the success of the plan of EN-
| ploying a force OF women inspectors
sufficiently large to completely covel
the field TO which these are assigned
Ee considers that the convenience tC
| the travelling public will become very
apparent during the busy season which
month will usher in. .
"Sipce the introduction Of the swift
ocean steamers" said the Collector,
"the custom Of women travelling tC
and from European ports without es
corts has been steadily increasing. Il
| is to meet the demand growing ont o.
| the custom that we have enlarged the
| force OF inspectresses. Our idea is tt
provide two or three women to each In
| coming vessel to open the baggage O.
women passengers, and to do away Will
men for this work. The women show
themselves very capable for this duty
| and have no doubt that they will ado
much TO the efficiency of the service a
well as othe convenience OF the womeI
| travellers"
Surveyor Beattie said that the use o
inspectresses for the duties performet
by the present force in his department
Rad never before been put in practice